The ground rumbled beneath our feet, and I nearly lost my balance. Kieran’s grip tightened on my arm, but I could feel his tension, his body coiled like a spring ready to snap. His eyes darted around, scanning the shadows, the trees—everywhere, as if expecting something to leap out of the dark at any moment.
“What is that?” I whispered, but I already knew. This was no ordinary tremor. It was something far more sinister, something ancient, stirring deep within the earth.
Kieran’s voice was low, steady, but I could hear the edge of worry beneath it. “I don’t know, but we need to keep moving. Fast.”
He tugged me forward, and I stumbled, my body still weak from the cursed energy that had surged through me moments before. The sensation of that dark power was still fresh in my mind, lingering
